Image Widget vs Simple Lightbox (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Image Widget has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 287 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 100K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Image Widget has accumulated 4.6M+ total downloads while Simple Lightbox has 3.0M+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Image Widget | Simple Lightbox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9/5 | ◄ | 4.3/5 |
| Total Reviews | 287 | ◄ | 236 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | 100K+ | |
| Total Downloads | 4.6M+ | ◄ | 3.0M+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago | ► | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2008 | 2010 | |
| Age | 18 years | 16 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.5+ | 5.3+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 5.6.20+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.4.11 | 2.9.5 |
Rating Breakdown
Image Widget
Simple Lightbox
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Image Widget averaged approximately 131 daily downloads while Simple Lightbox averaged 895.
Recent Reviews
Image Widget Reviews
Perfect image widget
This is perfect image widget. Thank you very much for such helpful solution.
Very nice, working great
I like this image widget plugin, certainly better than the default one, also works with some external lightbox plugins, so that’s a bonus. Also, it works without a problem on WordPress v5.4.2.
Very nice plugin
This is very nice plugin! Thank you for your work! Everything work fast without any problems.
Simple Lightbox Reviews
Does not do anything
Just does not work. This topic was modified 6 months, 3 weeks ago by Benjamin Stocker.
Worked straight out of the box!
Couldn’t be simpler. Downloaded, installed, activated and now all my post images open in a lightbox. Brilliant!
Simple Yet Awesome
I like the simplicity of the plugin and it works with WP native image block. The ability to automatically group single images on a page or post and browse through them in the model box is great.
More Image Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Image Widget and Simple Lightbox
Formerly Easy Fancybox. The most popular WordPress lightbox plugin. Simple, fast, and responsive. Opens images, videos, PDFs, and custom popups.
reSmush.it is the FREE image compressor and optimizer plugin - use it to optimize your images and improve the SEO and performance of your website.
The most popular lightbox plugin and responsive gallery builder for WordPress.
Adds an image or icon in the menu items. You can choose the position of the image (after, before, above, below) or even hide the menu item title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Image Widget or Simple Lightbox more popular?
Which has better ratings — Image Widget or Simple Lightbox?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.